NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Kemani

A feminine name of Japanese origin meaning "beautiful, elegant".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kemani is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kemani popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2008 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Kemani. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kemani ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 3 boys were registered as Kemani.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kemani as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5119

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2008

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Kemani mean?

The name Kemani is believed to have originated from the Quechua language, which is spoken by indigenous people in the Andean regions of South America, primarily in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and parts of Argentina, Colombia, and Chile. The Quechua civilization dates back to the ancient Inca Empire, which flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The word "kemani" in Quechua is thought to be derived from the root word "kema," which means "to trust" or "to have faith." It is possible that the name Kemani was originally bestowed upon individuals who were considered trustworthy or faithful within their communities. However, the precise origin and meaning of the name are not entirely clear due to the limited historical records from that era.

In terms of historical references, there are no known mentions of the name Kemani in ancient texts or religious scriptures. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear to be from the colonial period in South America, when Spanish colonizers began documenting the indigenous populations and their names.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Kemani was a Quechua leader named Kemani Amaru, who lived in the late 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the resistance against the Spanish colonization and fought to protect the rights and lands of his people.

Another notable figure with the name Kemani was Kemani Huanca, a skilled potter and artisan from the Cusco region of Peru in the 17th century. His intricate ceramic works, which depicted scenes from Inca mythology and daily life, are considered significant examples of traditional Quechua art.

In the 19th century, Kemani Tupac Yupanqui was a renowned Quechua scholar and linguist who played a vital role in preserving and documenting the Quechua language and culture. He authored several works on Quechua grammar and literature, contributing to the recognition and preservation of this ancient language.

During the 20th century, Kemani Quispe was a prominent political activist and leader of the indigenous rights movement in Bolivia. He fought tirelessly for the rights and representation of the Quechua and Aymara peoples, advocating for land reforms and cultural preservation.

More recently, Kemani Chalkho was a respected Quechua artist and painter from Ecuador, known for his vibrant depictions of Andean landscapes and indigenous cultural traditions. His works have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, celebrating the rich heritage of the Quechua people.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kemani over time

The chart below shows babies named Kemani registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kemani, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kemani
01223200820162024

Decades

Kemani by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kemani was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #5119 3 1
2000s #4432 3 1

Related

Names similar to Kemani

FAQ

Kemani: questions and answers

How popular is the name Kemani in the UK right now?

In 2024, Kemani was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Kemani most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 3 babies registered as Kemani in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kemani?

A feminine name of Japanese origin meaning "beautiful, elegant".

How many people are called Kemani in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Kemani across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.